LAPD Unveils Germ-Fighting Robot At Station Hit By Typhoid

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Police Dept. on Friday unveiled a robot at the Central Station that was brought in to battle one of the station's biggest foes — germs.

The Central Station is where an employee last month contracted the bacteria that causes typhoid fever. In response, LAPD Chief Michel Moore has introduced ``Light Strike,'' a robot designed to eliminate germs from an entire room.

``The cleanliness and safety of this facility has always been a challenge and a concern of LAPD,'' Moore said.

That difficulty was highlighted in late May when an officer was infected with salmonella typhi, while at least two other people were sent home experiencing similar symptoms.

The ``LightStrike'' germ-zapping robot, which is used in hospitals across the country, is expected to be a solution to the issues. Also introduced at the Central Station, which is located near Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, was a ``Healthy Soles'' shoe sanitizer.

The LAPD was fined $5,425 by the state Department of Industrial Relations last month for failing to train employees about how typhus fever is transmitted, the symptoms of the illness or measures that can be taken to prevent it.

The state also faulted the agency for not having an extermination program to control rats, fleas, roaches, gnats, mosquitoes or grasshoppers -- all of which were found at the station during a November inspection.

City News Service contributed to this report.